Wawrinka's match against the Czech is the highlight of three semi-finals at Melbourne Park on Thursday with women's title favourite Li Na facing exciting teenage prospect Eugenie Boucahrd in one of the women's last four clashes.

The eighth-seeded Wawrinka has spent his entire career as 'the other guy from Switzerland' as Federer chalked up 17 Grand Slam titles but he has cemented his credentials as a genuine top-10 player capable of anything over the last 12 months.

That was none more evident than on Wednesday with a thrilling five-set victory over four-time champion Novak Djokovic, the second successive year he and the Serb have battled into a marathon deciding set at Melbourne Park.

Unlike 2013, however, the 28-year-old Wawrinka advanced to the final four to reach his second successive semi-final appearance in Grand Slams and the quietly spoken Swiss has finally felt like he belongs in the game's elite.

"I'm enjoying for sure because I'm playing great tennis. It's a different level if I compare to last year," he said. "Now I'm number eight in the world. I'm making my second semi-final.

"Beating Novak here for me, for sure it's great ... but I'm still far from winning the tournament."

Wawrinka is well aware of the challenge he faces from Berdych, the man who he beat in the fourth round at last year's US Open before the Swiss lost the semi-final to Djokovic, again in five sets.

"He's going to be a tough player to beat. He already made one final in one slam," Wawrinka added of Berdych's 2010 Wimbledon final loss to Rafa Nadal.

"So he's there. He's really close from the top, top guys. It's going to be a tough battle, you know."

Berdych has had a relatively comfortable run into the final four and, with Djokovic's loss and Roger Federer and Andy Murray playing each other on Wednesday, the chance of a maiden Grand Slam has never been more open.

"I'm going to give 100 percent into that match and really not looking into the future," Berdych said.

"So really I will make everything what I have left. If it's going to be the lucky one, the winning one, I'm going to try to prepare myself somehow and be ready for the final."